Drumroll, Again: Announcing The ServiceNation Ambassadors
Subscribe to the Blog RSS FeedSo much great news today in the run-up to the first annual 9/11 National Day of Service and Remembrance. Which is just proving the power (and wisdom) of making service an important part of September 11.
One of the big goals for ServiceNation is to weave the idea of voluntary service more completely into the fabric of American culture. And when you want to affect the culture, it's awfully nice to have the support of people who practically define the culture: major Hollywood celebrities. So ServiceNation is extremely excited to formally announce today the ServiceNation Ambassadors Program, a posse of inspiring and inspired entertainment leaders who will help spread the word that voluntary service is good for the community, good for our democracy, and pretty good for you (people who serve live longer-really).
The Ambassadors are headed up by Tobey Maguire, who has been working with ServiceNation for a year now and plans to serve in Seattle tomorrow. Tobey has done a phenomenal job recruiting other great Ambassadors, and helping work out how to have maximum impact. Here is what he has to say about it all:
"The nation's first Day of Service and Remembrance is a day to reflect and remember--but it's also a day to act. I hope that all Americans will come together on September 11th and honor those affected by that tragic day by making a difference in their community - not only today, but through a sustained commitment to service."
So far, the following superstars have signed on to the ServiceNation Ambassadors program, which benefits from generous support from Target, a corporate leader when it comes to supporting the service sector: Leonardo DiCaprio, Robert Downey, Jr., Cameron Diaz, Anne Hathaway, Miley Cyrus, Oscar De La Hoya, Ben Stiller, Ellen DeGeneres, Will.i.am, and Salma Hayek. Talk about a blockbuster cast.
Many of the Ambassadors will be serving on September 11, and we'll keep you posted on further Ambassador news. Here is the full news release:
ServiceNation Launches
Celebrity Ambassador Program
Ambassadors demonstrate their commitment on new 9/11 National Day of Service, urge Americans to honor through service
NEW YORK, September 9, 2009 – On September 11, 2009, the nation’s first annually recognized National Day of Service commemorating the 2001 terrorist attacks, ServiceNation will launch its celebrity Ambassador Program engaging well-known personalities in service projects and advocacy as a means of raising awareness of the new day of service and inspiring the public to action. ServiceNation, a national campaign of Be the Change, Inc. to increase service opportunities and elevate the importance of citizen service in America, hopes that program will help to reverse the trend of declining volunteerism seen during the recession. The program will be guided by an Ambassadors Council chaired by actor and activist Tobey Maguire.
"The nation's first Day of Service and Remembrance is a day to reflect and remember--but it's also a day to act," said Maguire, who will serve in Seattle on September 11. "I hope that all Americans will come together on September 11th and honor those affected by that tragic day by making a difference in their community - not only today, but through a sustained commitment to service."
Among the celebrities who have signed on as Ambassadors for ServiceNation, and who share Maguire’s commitment to volunteering on September 11 and beyond, are:
- Cameron Diaz, who will serve in Boston
- Anne Hathaway, who will serve in Los Angeles
- Miley Cyrus, who will serve in Los Angeles
- Oscar de la Hoya, who will serve in Los Angeles
- Anna Sophia Robb, who will serve in Denver
“We honored to be joined by these prominent Americans who, through their commitment and their participation, will reach millions of Americans with the powerful message that service is important and should be a part of every American's life," said Michael Brown, CEO of City Year and a ServiceNation convenor.
Target has provided key support for ServiceNation’s effort to engage these stars to serve on September 11th.
In addition to leading service activities on the ground, ServiceNation Ambassadors also are advocating for more funding and stronger infrastructure to ensure that when Americans are inspired to volunteer their time and energy, they find meaningful opportunities to do so. In recent months, Maguire, fellow actors Ben Stiller and Brandon Routh, and ServiceNation youth chair Usher advocated for federal funding of new national service slots.
As well as launching its Ambassador Program, ServiceNation will commemorate the first annual September 11 National Day of Service through leading roles in these New York-based activities:
- “Cities of Service” Initiative – New York City Mayor Bloomberg, ServiceNation, HandsOn Network, AARP and the Entertainment Industry Foundation are convening two dozen mayors on September 10 to collectively announce their commitment to expand service opportunities in their cities. From that moment, the goal will be to expand the campaign to additional cities around the country, with the coalition serving as a major resource to help mayors develop best practices and local strategies to strengthen service infrastructure. Events will take place at Gracie Mansion, Duffy Square and Ground Zero.
- Entertainment Industry Foundation Initiative (EIF) – Also on September 10, EIF will launch a multi-year campaign called “I Participate” across the television, film and music industries to engage more Americans in service. Star-studded TV news, talk show and primetime programming, together with a PSA campaign, are planned throughout the week of October 19, 2009. For the entire week, the nation’s biggest networks will use favorite TV shows to shine a spotlight on the power of service.
- 9/11 National Day of Service and Remembrance Commemoration at the Beacon Theatre – Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will keynote this event, which ServiceNation is hosting in partnership with MyGoodDeed and with the support of the Corporation for National and Community Service and the National September 11 Memorial & Museum. Senators Charles Schumer and Kirstin Gillibrand, New York Governor David Paterson, actor Gary Sinise, late-night talk-show host Jimmy Fallon, and musical guests Anjulie, Gavin DeGraw, and The Roots also will appear before 2,500 members of the September 11 and service communities and the general public to commemorate the new day of service.
About Service Nation
ServiceNation is a national campaign to increase service opportunities and elevate service as a core ideal and problem-solving strategy in American society. Reaching an estimated 100 million citizens through its 200-plus member groups, ServiceNation played a leading role in the drafting and April 2009 enactment of the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act, which authorizes the greatest expansion of national service in America since FDR created the Civilian Conservation Corps. Now that the Act has passed, the ServiceNation coalition is working to inspire a powerful culture of volunteerism in our country. We envision an America in which a commonly asked question is, “Where do you serve?” For more information, visit http://www.servicenation.org.
